Many Nigerians are currently having controversies over the recent comment of the Nigerian Senate that ₦38 billion budgeted for the repair of Federal roads in Nigeria is not enough. The legislators claim that even a quarter of Nigeria’s deplorable roads cannot be repaired with the meagre ₦38 billion which the Federal government is proposing for next year’s budget. The lawmakers are claiming that nothing “meaningful” will be achieved in 2021 if the federal government persists with such a ridiculous budget for road repairs.
Members of the Nigerian Senate says ₦38 billion is too small to be used in 2021 for the repair and maintenance of Federal roads
According to press reports, Senator Gersome Bassey, the Chairman of the Nigeria Senate Committee on FERMA, says that Nigerian needs nothing less than ₦400 billion every year to adequately maintain federal roads alone. Senator Bassey explained that ₦38 billion is just too meagre to be budgeted for the maintenance and repair of Federal roads in Nigeria that extend up to 35,000km in total length. He strongly advocates for a quick and urgent upward review of the current budget so as to achieve desired results by 2021.
Going by the words of Senator Gersome Bassey, the meagre ₦38 billion budget for federal road repairs in 2021 was recently submitted before the Appropriation Committee which he heads. Unfortunately, himself and all the members of his committee disagrees with the inadequate budget but still have no power to just do an upward review at their end. This he explains as the reason why his committee is now publicly calling the attention of the Federal government to the budget and as well looking forward to an upward review anytime soon.
>>> Read also: Fashola sparks outrage with a recent comment about Nigerian roads
And speaking of Nigerian Senators calling for the proper repair of Federal roads below is a short press video showing a recent “War of words” between when the lawmakers and the transportation minister over bad roads.
Senate in a war of words with Fashola over roads
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